In recent years, as display devices appropriate for slimming and upsizing, flat-panel televisions, such as liquid crystal televisions using liquid crystal display panels and plasma televisions using plasma display panels, have been mass-produced and sales thereof have been expanded. Therewith, the number of waste of used flat-panel televisions is on the gradual increase. From viewpoints of environmental issues and resource savings, it is becoming important to improve a system for disassembling a variety of members and materials of a used flat-panel television into a recyclable form, and an efficient disassembly processing method has been required.
For example, recycling of a variety of members and materials used for a liquid crystal display device requires disassembly and classification with respect to each type of the materials. Further, a material containing a substance of concern or the like needs to be subjected to appropriate processing.
As a method for disassembling a liquid crystal display device, for example, a method disclosed in PTL 1 is hitherto known. This PTL 1 discloses a method for disassembling a waste liquid crystal display device provided with a back light. Specifically, the method for disassembling a waste liquid crystal display device is disclosed which includes the steps of: removing a cabinet from a waste liquid crystal display device; removing a control substrate from the waste liquid crystal display device, from which the cabinet has been removed; and removing a back light.
Since mercury is sealed in a fluorescent tube used for the back light of the liquid crystal display device and the fluorescent tube itself has a structure easily prone to damage, the fluorescent tube may be damaged during a disassembly operation, or may be damaged while being collected or carried. When it is damaged, there is a risk that an operator performing disassembly might breathe in mercury.